Minister of Agriculture Saboto Caesar has continued his call for Vincentians to support local products amid current global financial challenges brought on by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Minister Caesar during a call to WEFM’s Activated Morning program said there are numerous benefits to be derived by substituting certain imported items with others produced right here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
“We have a food import bill of $200 million and there are goods that our local consumers must begin to substitute. There are some things that when you go to the supermarket shelf—I want to grow that, I don’t want to buy that anymore, or I want to support the man from the community who is selling me sweet potatoes, I don’t want the English potatoes, because I want the money to stay in the community, I want it to stay with people who I know, with people who can ensure that it stays in the economy, and we have to support local!” Caesar said .
The Minister pointed out that a top talking point of many leaders in the region and all over the world is food security, due to the knock on effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Caesar said that as the conflict continues, the price of certain products will continue to rise.
